The manufacturer that designs builds and markets a particular electronic device running a licensed or proprietary software application program does not want the software application to run on a competitor's device or the competitor's device to run the software application. It is desirable in some cases for the electronic device to not be used for any purpose other than running the software application for which it is designed. For example, if a manufacturer is marketing an electronic device designed to run a specific licensed or proprietary game, the manufacturer may not want that game enabled to run on another device. If the manufacturer designs or markets another device, the manufacturer may desire a unique version of the game, with a separate license, to play the game on the new device.
Software developers share similar concerns. If the software developer is paid by a device manufacturer to write a program designed to play a game on the device sold by that manufacturer, the software developer does not want that game enabled to be played on a different electronic device unless adequate compensation is received for such usage.
In many cases an entire marketing program is built around a hardware device and a software application that is sold as a package. Frequently the electronic device manufacturer will turn to a third party to design the software application. The converse may also be true. In each instance, the party selling the device and the party selling the software application expect their particular product to be paired with the other when sold.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a security system that does not permit a hardware device to execute unless it is operating a specific software application and, conversely, a software application that can not be executed unless it is loaded on a particular type of hardware device.